I'm curious about the freezer part as well.
Here's how I do mine, and I've used russets.

Pour oil in a deep fryer or heavy saucepan to reach halfway
up the sides of the pan. Heat to 325 degrees F, use a deep
fry thermometer to determine this. While the oil is heating,
peel the potatoes and push through a French fry cutter to
form uniform sticks. As you go, place the cut potatoes in a
bowl of ice water to release some of the starch and to keep
them from browning.
Dry the potato strips thoroughly, this will keep the oil
from splattering. Fry the potatoes in batches so the pan
isn't crowded and the oil temperature does not plummet. Cook
for 3 minutes until they are soft but not browned. Remove
the potatoes with a long-handled metal strainer and drain on
brown paper bags.

Bring oil temperature up to 375 degrees F. Return the
par-fried potatoes to the oil in batches and cook a second
time for 4 minutes until golden and crispy. Drain on fresh
brown paper bags then place in a serving bowl lined with
paper towels. Salt and serve immediately.

the "in batches" is key. If you put too many into the
pan/fryer at once, the temperature will plummet and you'll
end up with a very greasy result.

--
Steve